The Question
by Catherine4
Summary: Mario Savetti has a ring, a question to ask and a plan. But when does anything ever go to plan at Angel's Memorial? Post-finale Mario Savetti/Noa Kean fluff.


_Mario Savetti has a ring, a question to ask and a plan. But when does anyth__i__ng ever go to plan at Angel's Memorial? Post-finale Mario__ Savetti__/Noa__ Kean__ fluff. _

_So, I never watched Code Black when it was on the air, but I've just finished watching all three seasons in as many weeks and I'm having the same feelings of despair that it's over a year after you all did. I had to write something, and Mario and Noa were the natural choice to be the centre of my story. I don't know if anyone will never read this, but I had a blast writing it (I banged it out in a day) so I don't mind either way! But if you are here, I hope you enjoy._

**The Question**

"Dr Kean? Can I have some help over here?"

Noa looked up from examining her patient in the next bed to see the panicked looking intern standing over a little boy. His anxious mother was standing beside him biting her nails.

"Be right there" Noa said. "Dr Nelson? Calm down, we've got this." She turned back to her own patient, a man in his fifties with a fractured femur. "Try to relax Mr Johnson. And whatever you do, don't try to walk again." Noa doubted very much he would take her advice when his wife and daughter were elsewhere in the hospital receiving treatment too, but she had another patient to see, and Dr Abigail Nelson, the intern she was mentoring in only her third week at Angel's, looked out of her depth.

Noa smiled down at the little boy. "Who have we got here?"

"This is Noah Cavendish, seven years old, presenting with shortness of breath and an elevated heart rate." Dr Nelson reported the information, trying to take Dr Kean's advice and calm down.

"Please help him. He can't breathe." The poor mother looked beside herself and Noa reached across the bed and took her hand. She looked even more scared than her child.

"What's your name?"

"Laura. Please, you have to help my son."

"We will. Don't worry."

Dr Kean put her stethoscope to the boy's chest and listened. "Does it hurt anywhere Noah?"

"My chest hurts. Mom, I'm scared." He felt for his mother's hand and she stepped closer to the bed.

"What's your course of treatment, Dr Nelson?"

"Erm…"

The intern looked flustered and Noa called her name sharply. "Abi. Focus. You can do this."

"Right. Sorry. Start him on oxygen and order an ultrasound."

"Good." She turned to her patient. "Don't worry Noah, we'll take care of you. Let me give you something for the pain, you'll feel better in no time." To his mother she asked "is he allergic to any medication?"

"Not that I know of. He's never been sick before, he's always so healthy. What's wrong with him?"

Noa looked up at the young woman reassuringly. "That's what we're going to find out."

"Mom, I feel sick."

That was all the warning Noa got before the kid turned and vomited onto the floor. She jumped back, just not fast enough, and the kid's breakfast ended up all over her sneakers.

"I'm sorry" the boy said. He sounded distressed.

"It's alright Noah." Her shoes were the least of Dr Kean's troubles. "Dr Nelson, will you draw up the medication?"

Noa gently guided the first year as she administered the injection and Noah's heart rate began to slow. Dr Kean listened to his chest again and already could feel an improvement. "Excellent. You're doing great. I'll be back to check on you in a little bit."

* * *

"What you doing?"

Noa snuck up on Mario in the locker room and giggled when he jumped a mile at the sound of her voice and slammed his locker shut guiltily. He turned to see his girlfriend standing there with a playful smirk on her face. "Very funny." He looked less than impressed. "I'm just starting my shift, what are you doing?"

Noa held up her sneakers in a plastic bag. "A kid barfed on me."

"Nice."

Noa opened her own locker to retrieve her spare shoes and threw the dirty ones in, making a mental note to take them out at the end of the day or the place would reek when they returned from their weekend break. That would make her popular with just about nobody.

"Are we still on for the weekend?" Mario held her by thew waist

Noa smiled when he nuzzled into her neck. "Of course. What's the occasion anyway?"

"Do I need one?"

Noa pulled away, and looked at Mario curiously. "You're hiding something."

Mario answered by giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Don't you have patients to see?'

Noa watched him leave the room and her eyes narrowed. She couldn't help but notice he didn't answer her question.

* * *

Dr Kean pulled back the curtain. "How are you feeling Noah?"

The boy pulled the mask away from his face. "Better. My mom is freaking out though."

Noa smiled. "That's what Mom's do when their kids are sick. She's worried. Where is she?"

"She went to go call my Dad. He went fishing with uncle Kevin. Do I still need this stupid mask? I can breathe fine now."

"Let me listen to your chest again and then I'll decide." She did so, and when the boy was lying back again she looked at him sternly. "Alright, you can take the mask off now. But you have to promise me you'll let some body know if you have trouble breathig again, alright?"

He nodded. "I promise."

Laura Cavendish re-entered the room then and Noa smiled at her but continued talking to the child. "Good. Because promises we make each other count extra. Do you know why?" He shook his head. "My name's Noa too."

He made a face. Noa was used to it, now it just made her laugh. "Really? But you're a girl."

"I know, weird right?" She winked at Noah and turned to his mom. "He's doing much better. I'll let you know when we have his test results back."

Noa held her fist out for a fist bump from the patient and he rolled his eyes but reciprocated none the less.

"Stay out of trouble" she said, and closed the curtain again to give mother and son some privacy.

* * *

"Hey."

Mario startled when Angus appeared suddenly as he stood at the admit desk pouring over a was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't hear the surgeon approach.

"Jeez, you scared me. What's with people sneaking up on me today?"

Angus leant on the desk and regarded his friend. "I didn't sneak. I think somebody's on edge."

"Only because I was late and Dr Rorish wasn't happy about it."

Angus smiled. "Is that the only reason?" Mario looked away bashfully and Angus prodded him in the ribs. "I knew it!"

Mario looked around self consciously. "Will you stop? I never should have got drunk and blurted it out. You better keep a secret."

"Of course man. Did you get the ring?"

"Yeah. She nearly caught me looking at it in the lockeroom earlier. Not exactly the romantic setting I had in mind."

"So when are you going to ask her?"

"I haven't exactly decided. This weekend, for sure. I rented a beach house. We leave after shift."

Angus smiled the biggest smile Mario had ever seen. "I'm happy for you man."

"She hasn't said yes yet."

"She will. Anyway, you paged me for a surgical consult?"

Dr Savetti coughed. "Right. I have Ria Marshall, 42. Suspected appendicitis. My first year is with her in sides."

* * *

"Do you know what's wrong with me yet?"

Noa looked up from the computer to see her young patient standing before her. "Noah, what are you doing out of bed? I distinctly remember Dr Nelson telling you to stay put."

He shrugged. "Mom went to get coffee. I got bored."

"Back to bed" Dr Kean said, pointing towards cubicles, but she didn't sound as angry as she meant to. She liked this kid. It was nice to have a patient for once that wasn't screaming the place down or trying to attack her. Noah turned with a theatrical sigh and Dr Kean followed him.

"I'm sorry about your shoes" he said, climbing back into bed.

"Don't worry about it. Hazard of the job. How are you feeling? Besides bored?"

"I feel better. So how come you have a boy's name anyway? Did your parents want a son?"

Noa laughed. "Actually, I have two older brothers. Maybe they couldn't think of any girls names to use."

"Well, I think it's cool. My sister's name is Poppy. That's way too girly if you ask me."

Across the room, Mario watched Noa interact with her patient and couldn't help smiling to himself. He loved that girl. So much. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and the ring currently sitting in his locker was well worth being late to collect from the jewelers. He'd told her he'd had a dentist's appointment but he knew she didn't believe him. There was nothing he could get past her for long. He only hoped she wasn't suspicious.

Noa looked up and caught him staring at her as she listened to her patient's chest. Noah followed her gaze and Mario quickly hurried away.

"Why was that doctor watching us?"

"He's my boyfriend" Noa answered without thinking. When she heard the boy laughing, she turned back with a cross look on her face. "Why am I telling you this? You're a kid." She replaced her stethoscope around her neck. "Stay in bed. When your Mom gets back tell her I need to speak to her."

* * *

"Dr Savetti's acting weird."

Noa and Abi were standing in the ambulance bay waiting for an incoming trauma from a road traffic accident. Noa snapped on her gloves and turned to her intern. "You noticed too huh?"

Abi smiled. "What's going on?"

"I have no idea. Listen, we're heading away for a couple of days, you'll be shadowing Dr Avila while I'm gone."

"Ooh, a romantic getaway? Nice. What's the occasion, is it your birthday or something?"

Noa had never really been one for girly gossip but she had been wondering the same thing. Still, she wasn't going to let Dr Nelson know that. The ambulance pulled into the bay then, sirens blaring. "No, it isn't." They listened as the oncoming sirens grew louder and louder. "Are you ready to focus Dr Nelson? Here we go."

The ambulance doors flew open and the paramedic flew out and with that, all thoughts of her boyfriend's suspicious behaviour were banished from her mind.

* * *

"Pupils equal and reactive, breath sounds clear. You, sir, are extremely lucky. Did you lose consciousness when you hit your head on the divider?"

The man shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Is my cab driver okay? It wasn't his fault. That van ran a red light, it came from nowhere."

Mario looked across center stage where Noa and Abi were standing over the driver. "My colleagues are working on him. Don't worry. I'm going to send you for a CT to rule out head trauma and monitor you for a couple of hours, but you should be fine." Mario turned to the intern working on the patient with him. "Dr Kelly, call transport and move Mr Anderson to sides while we wait."

Danny nodded and released the breaks on the gurney. He began to wheel it away but bumped into Mario as he did do. "Careful."

"Sorry Dr Savetti" he called as he left.

Mario felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Jesse holding out a navy velvet box. Mario's eyes widened and he grabbed it, glancing quickly at Noa to see if she was looking. She was too focused on her patient however and Mario breathed a sigh of relief.

"I didn't realise I had that on me, I thought I'd put it back in my locker."

Jesse smiled. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, but please keep it down. I wanted to ask her this weekend. I've got to go put this away, I can't be walking around here with a $1,000 ring in my scrubs."

"Wow" Jesse said, folding his arms in amusement. "it must be serious for you to drop that much cash. But there's no time, the driver of the van is a minute out."

Mario swallowed. Suddenly the thought of walking around with this ring made him more nervous than the incoming trauma.

* * *

"What are you looking so happy about Momma?" Dr Rorish said as she approached Jesse in the hallway.

"Nothing" the senior nurse replied. "You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure."

"Are you keeping secrets from me Jesse? That's not like you."

Jesse turned. "It's not my secret to tell. I'm not a gossip, Leanne."

Dr Rorish actually laughed out loud. "Since when? Come on, I could use some cheering up."

Jesse mimed zipping his mouth closed and walked away without saying another word.

"Stop looking so happy, at least" Leanne called after him. "You'll scare the patients."

* * *

Performing CPR was exhausting, but luckily they got the patient back and he was now in Dr Campbell's OR having his aorta repaired. Mario was taking a minute to himself in the hallway. He wanted to run back to the locker room to stash the ring away safe and sound but they were far too busy. What else was new? Instead he found his hand flying to his pocket every thirty seconds, so scared was he of dropping the ring again.

"Excuse me, are you Dr Savetti?"

Mario looked up to see a worried looking woman in her fifties standing before him. "Yes, I am. How can I help?"

"A nurse told me you treated my husband. He was in a car accident? I overheard someone say he caused it, is that true?"

"You're Barry Lincoln's wife. Come with me." He guided the frightened woman somewhere more private and invited her to sit down. "Your husband is alive. He's in surgery right now. The crash caused trauma to his chest and his aorta burst, but the police think something caused him to pass out behind the wheel and that's why he crashed. We'll know more once he wakes up."

The woman sniffed and Mario handed her the box of tissues. "He will wake up though?"

"He's in the very best hands. I'll take you upstairs to somewhere you can wait." Mario placed his hand on the woman's back and gently guided her towards the elevator.

* * *

"Dr Savetti, are you alright?" Dr Dixon asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because you can't stand still and I don't think you heard a word I just said."

Mario blinked. "Sorry Elliot, my head's all over the place."

The younger doctor smiled, and that smile held a hint of curiosity. "Yeah, I can tell. I asked if there's anything I need to know about Dr Kelly while he shadows me at the weekend."

"No, he's good. A bit timid I guess. A bit like you were as a newbie. He needs pushing sometimes but you can trust him."

Elliot watched as Mario's hand flew to his pocket for the fifth time since they began talking. "What have you got in your pocket? You haven't stopped playing with whatever it is since I came over."

"It's nothing" Mario said, but in a way that made it clear it definitely was something.

"Why are you looking so shifty? Come on." Elliot made a lunge for it and Mario was too slow.

Elliot's eyes widened when he saw what it was and his face broke out into the biggest grin. "oh my god" he said. "Are you serious?"

Mario snatched the box back. "Will you keep it down?"

"You're going to ask Noa to marry you?" Elliot was excited. It would have been sweet if Mario wasn't so irritated.

"Yes. But at this rate everyone in the hospital will find out before she does. That's what this weekend is about."

"Good luck" Dr Dixon said.

"I don't need luck" Mario replied to his retreating form. But he did. He really really did. He was so nervous he could barely focus and he still had half a shift to go.

There was shouting from the waiting room then and a scuffle broke out between a couple of drunk frat boys. Judging by the cuts and bruises to their faces and knuckles this wasn't the first altercation they had got into today. A girl watched on looking less than pleased.

"Is this supposed to impress me?" She shouted over the din. "If you carry on like this I won't want either of you."

Mario sighed and waded into the fray at a jog.

"I saw her first" the taller blonde guy said, getting up in the other boy's face.

"That doesn't mean anything. If you want her you'll have to come through me."

"Stop fighting over me you idiots. I'm out of here." The girl picked up her purse and marched away.

"See what you did?" The first guy said, his voice growing louder. Several other people in the waiting area backed away.

"Me?"

"Will you guys knock it off?" Mario stepped between them at precisely the wrong moment. The second guy threw a punch, but copious amounts of beer he'd no doubt consumed affected his aim and he missed his rival completely. Instead he caught Mario on the side of the head and the doctor went down.

"Ah." Mario lay still, the wind knocked out of him, clutching his cheek.

"Oh shit" the frat guys said in unison and fled.

* * *

Mario grimaced as Noa applied antiseptic to the cut above his eye and she looked at him sternly. "Will you hold still?"

"How bad is it?"

"Well, you'll have an impressive shiner to show for your actions but you don't need stitches and nothing's broken." Noa it down the swab and took off her gloves. "Baby, if you wanted to spend time with me you only had to wait a few more hours, you didn't need to get beat up to get my attention." Noa smirked. She knew it would wind Mario up, his pride was hurt, but she couldn't resist.

"I wasn't beat up, he caught me by surprise."

Noa took hold of his face. "I know. I'm ok only teasing."

"I'm sorry about this. I didn't exactly plan on starting our weekend with a concussion, I wanted it to be special. Also, you might have to drive."

"You're acting very strange. Why is this weekend so important to you anyway?"

"Because I love you and want to spend some time alone with you. Isn't that reason enough?"

"We live together, Mario. We're alone all the time."

The curtain opened and Dr Avila poked his head in. "Sorry to interrupt. Pamela Lincoln was looking for you about her husband. She went back upstairs, I said I would find you. I think she's just scared but she wanted you with her."

Mario nodded. "I can go up, thanks for letting me know." Diego closed the curtain again and Mario hopped off the bed. "Am I free to go Dr Kean?"

Noa nodded. "Yes. But stay out of trouble."

* * *

"Mrs Cavendish?" Noa opened the curtain around her patient to find his bed empty and his mother dozing in a chair. She shook her awake. "Mrs Cavendish?"

Laura Cavendish blinked. Seeing the bed was empty she sat up with a start. "Where's Noah?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing. I found him wandering around earlier, I expect he's gone for a strole again."

"Oh god, we should find him. What if he stops breathing again?"

"Then he's in the right place. Don't worry, he can't have got far. And his stats are almost back to normal. It looks like he had an allergic reaction to something but the medication we gave him seems to have worked. He should be okay. Once he's up on the ward they'll run more tests to find out what exactly caused his reaction. I can start the transfer soon. Once we've found him."

As if on cue, Noah reappeared, seemingly indifferent to the worry he had caused his mother. "Hi Mom" he said, getting back up onto the bed. "You should have seen it out there, it was crazy, there was a fight in reception and a doctor got hit."

Noa and his mother sighed in unison and Noa shared a look of sympathy with the woman. "I thought I told you to stay in bed?" She said to the boy.

"You did. Sorry."

"Well, the good news is you're going to be fine. Health wise at least. I can't speak to how much trouble you'll be in if you walk off again."

"I have to go and call your father" Laura said, in a tone that showed she was exhausted and exasperated with her wayward son. She pointed a finger at him. "Don't move. Or no Xbox for a week."

She left and Dr Kean helped Noah back into bed. He was clutching something in his hand.

"The doctor that got hit was your boyfriend right? He dropped this when he fell. I wasn't stealing it or anything, I was going to give it back to him but I couldn't find him."

"He went upstairs to check on a patient. You can give it to me." Noa couldn't see what the kid was holding but held out her hand for it anyway.

Noah hesitated. "I think I should give it to him."

"Give it here."

* * *

"I'm sorry to drag you away, you must be terribly busy."

Mrs Lincoln sniffed and wiped her nose on a tissue.

"I don't mind, honestly. How's your husband doing?"

"They repaired his heart but now they're saying something is wrong with his brain and that's why he passed out. I'm just so worried. And the police want to talk to him. There's no way he would have caused that accident on purpose." The woman looked up at Mario. "Were there other people hurt? I know you can't discuss other patients with me but…"

"Yes" Mario said. "Two. But they will both be fine. If a medical condition was the cause of the crash the police will understand, your husband shouldn't be in any trouble."

The woman nodded slowly, seemingly calmer. "Are you married, Dr Savetti?"

Mario smiled, despite himself. He looked up. "Sorry, no, I'm not. But I was actually planning to propose to my girlfriend this weekend."

"Good luck son. Marriage is tough. But I'm happy for you. There are some wonderful moments mixed in with the hard ones."

"Thank you. I've actually got the ring right…" his hand went to his pocket and when he found it empty he froze. "Oh god."

"What?" Mrs Lincoln asked, concerned.

"I've lost the ring." Mario wanted to run from the room in a panic but hesitated. He couldn't leave a distraught family member alone like this. But Pam Lincoln patted his arm.

"Go and find it then" she said and had the first genuine smile on her face she'd worn since she arrived at Angel's. "And pop the question before you lose it again. Or lose your nerve."

"Thank you" Mario said and bolted out the door.

* * *

'Noa or the ring, Noa or the ring?' As Mario Savetti willed the elevator to move a bit damn faster, he tried to decide which to find first and prayed that the latter wasn't lost forever and the former hadn't found out his plan from someone else. As he finally reached the emergency department, breathless, his eyes darted around for someone, anyone, to help him. The person he saw first was Dr Leighton.

"Angus, you've got to help me man."

Angus caught sight of the cut on Mario's face and the large bruise that was rapidly forming over his left eye. "Woah, what happened to you?"

Mario shook his head impatiently. "It's not important. I've lost the ring. Have you seen Noa?"

"What? Why were you carrying it around, you weren't planning on asking her here were you?"

Mario shook his head and looked around frantically. "Wasn't planning on it, no." He put his hands on his head and adrenaline coursed around his body. "I have to find Noa."

"I think she's with a patient. That young kid who came in earlier?"

Mario didn't wait to hear more, just ran in the direction of sides.

"Slow down Dr Savetti" Dr Roarish shouted after him. She couldn't have one of her attendings charging around the place. The last thing any of them needed was another accident. But seeing the look of panic on his face, she followed.

In the end Mario didn't have to decide between finding Noa or the ring first, he fond them both at the same time. He heard her voice before he saw her and raced around the corner. "Give it here" he heard her say to the young kid she was treating, and Mario caught a glimpse of the box as she held out her hand.

The kid hesitated, but Mario knew from experience Noa usually got her way in the end. He silently prayed for the child to have enough willpower to stall for ten more seconds. Mario reached the cubicle and practically dived between Noa and the kid.

"Mario, what the hell?"

Mario smiled sheepishly at his girlfriend and turned to the kid. 'Thank you' he silently mouthed to the boy, and little Noah grinned and gave him the thumbs up. Mario snatched the box out of his hand and turned sharply, keeping it hidden from view behind his back.

Noa folded her arms. "What is going on?"

Mario's heart was pounding. He was nervous as hell. Whether he liked it or not, now was the moment. God only knew what else might go wrong if he put it off any longer. He swallowed. His throat was dry and he suddenly couldn't find the words. 'Focus' he told himself, all the while Noa was looking at him with a mixture of confusion, annoyance and alarm on her face.

Mario took her hand and lead her a little way away from the bed. "I didn't want to do this here" he said, "I had a whole thing planned, this weekend… I wanted it to be more romantic than this." He looked around, and saw that many people, staff and patients alike had turned in their direction. "I certainly didn't want the whole world watching."

Noa was nervous now too, although she didn't know why. She wasn't just imagining Mario's strange behaviour today, she knew that now, but she was non the wiser as to what he was up to.

Across the room, Leanne came to a stop beside Jesse and frowned when she saw the look of triumph on his face. He put his finger to his lips to fend off the question she was about to ask and simply said "look."

Elsewhere, Angus breathed a sigh of relief that his best friend's plan hadn't completely been ruined, and doctors Dixon, Kelly and Nelson stood shoulder to shoulder watching the scene play out too. Elliot's grin from earlier was nothing compared to the look he now wore on his face, and the two interns stood watching, their mouths open wide.

"Do what?" Noa asked quietly. "Mario?" She was self-conscious, but she recognised a look of determination and certainty on Mario's face as he led her into the middle of the floor, one hand still behind his back.

Mario took a deep breath. "Here we go" he said to himself, looking away from his girlfriend for a moment to compose himself. When he looked back at Noa, he was suddenly calm and knew that this was what he wanted, truly more than anything else in the world.

"Noa, I think you're incredible. You're an amazing doctor and an even better person, and I have to pinch myself every day that you chose me." Noa let out a gasp and Mario shook his head. "Please don't say anything."

Noa couldn't speak if she wanted to. She saw what was coming and her eyes widened and her hands started shaking.

Mario smiled nervously and let go of her hand. "I er, I have something to ask you."

Noa felt tears in her eyes and tried to fight it. She wanted to see the look on Mario's face clearly, not blurred through tears She clutched her chest without meaning to, as if afraid her heart would burst.

Not paying any attention to the dozens of people watching him, caring only for the most important one right in front of him, Mario slowly got down on one knee and held the little blue velvet box up in the palm of his hand. "I love you" he said emphatically. "More than life itself, and I can't imagine what my life would be like without you in it."

Mario's hands shook too as he fumbled to open the box. Noa gasped when she saw the ring and braced herself for the question. It seemed as though time stood still in the middle of the busy ER.

"Noa Kean, will you marry me?"

Noa didn't know how much longer she'd be able to stay standing, her knees had turned to jelly. She looked down at Mario's big beautiful eyes, so full of love for her and hope for the future and could no longer hold in her tears.

To Mario it felt like an eternity before she answered but in reality, it was only a couple of seconds. Noa couldn't speak at first but nodded slowly. At first she smiled, then she started laughing out of pure disbelief and joy.

"Yes" she said, when she had found her voice. She spoke quietly at first, and then louder as she found her confidence. "Mario Savetti, I will marry you." She sunk down to her knees on the linoleum floor and took Mario's face in her hands. "I love you so much too."

Mario let out a huge breath. He took the ring and slipped it onto Noa's finger, all the while feeling like this was a dream. And then she kissed him, and when she did, Mario realised that it didn't matter where he asked her or when, or even who was watching. All that mattered was that he loved her and she loved him and he had found the courage to put himself on the line for the reward of getting everything he ever wanted.

Noa allowed herself to get lost in the moment. She would be more embarrassed than she ever had been in her life in 30 seconds when she finally opened her eyes, but for now all there was her and Mario and the promise she'd just made.

Noa pulled away first, but only so she could breathe. Mario's face was still so close to hers she could feel his breath on her cheek. If she had her way, she would stay in this one perfect moment forever. But gradually she became aware of everyone around them clapping. Behind them, little Noah Cavendish punched the air and cried "yes!" and across the room, Jesse put his arm around Leanne and the two of them looked on like proud parents. But Noa didn't take her eyes off Mario. She laughed, and he laughed too, and they finally stood up holding hands and turned to the room.

Angus and Elliot were on them in a shot, and Jesse and Dr Rorish were not far behind them, hugging them both and sharing their congratulations as everyone else smiled on. Mario turned, still holding Noa to his side, and grinned at the young boy sitting up in bed.

"Thanks buddy. Where did you find it?"

"On the floor right after you'd been punched by that drunk guy."

"Well, you saved my life."

He pointed to Noa. "She saved mine."

Mario held up his hand for a high five. The kid stretched across to oblige. "What's your name anyway?"

"Noah."

Mario smiled. "How about that."

"Hey, is there a doctor here? There's an ambulance pulling up now."

And just like that the moment passed and it was right back to business. Mario and Noa both made for the entrance but Dr Rorish intercepted them with a smile. "I've got this one. I think you both deserve ten minutes trauma-free."

* * *

The only quiet place they could find was the roof, and Mario sat with his back against the wall with Noa wrapped in his arms in front of him.

"Is this what this weekend was about?" Noa asked. "I thought it odd you were being cagey with the details."

Mario smiled, his eyes closed. Noa's hair blew in the breeze and the scent of it made Mario feel like he was home. "Yeah. I rented a beach house. I had this whole romantic image in my mind of how it would be. We were supposed to be surrounded by candles, not bedpans."

Noa laughed. Her eyes were closed too and she was imagining what Mario's proposal might have been like in another life, if their world was not so crazy. "I don't care" she said. "I know you've gone to a lot of trouble, and we will still have a wonderful weekend, but you could have asked me anywhere and I would have said yes."

Mario opened his eyes and looked down at his fiancée in the fading Los Angeles light. "Really?"

Noa looked up. "Of course. You weren't nervous I would say no, were you?"

Mario blushed and Noa thought him the most adorable thing she'd ever seen. "I love you, silly. Of course I was going to say yes."

Noa looked down at her ring. It was stunning, it took her breath away. God knows how much Mario had spent on it, but that didn't matter to her either. One of her most treasured possessions was a plastic beaded bracelet he'd won her at a carnival on their first proper date. If he proposed with a ring made out of tin foil, she would have gladly worn it.

Mario caught Noa looking. "You like it?"

"I do. It's beautiful. But I can't really wear it at work."

Mario smiled. "I know. But I wanted you to have something special anyway."

'I already do' Noa thought, 'You.' But she didn't say this out loud, she only kissed his arm where it draped over her shoulder.

"We should probably get back inside." Mario checked his watch. "Three more hours and we'll be on the road, far away from this place for two whole days."

"It sounds like bliss."

"First let's see what the good people of LA have in store for us." Mario stood up and pulled Noa to her feet. He took the ring box from his pocket and handed it to her.

She sighed, sliding the ring from her finger. "I don't want to take it off. I'll look after it this time, though. In case you get into any more fights."

* * *

In the end, the weekend was more wonderful than Mario could have hoped it would be. He enjoyed it more, he thought, for the absence of the stress he would have felt at the thought of asking Noa to be his wife. They'd probably have ended up fighting and it would probably have been his fault. Plus he would have been so quiet on the drive down that by the time they got to their destination, they wouldn't have been in the mood for anything romantic. As it was, on the drive they laughed a lot and sang along to the radio way too loud, revelling in their freedom and each other's company.

Mario kept glancing over at Noa as she drove, a precaution as he may or may not have a head injury, in complete awe that she was now his fiancée. The house was beautiful and the view form the front porch even more so, but Mario would have felt on cloud 9 even if they'd just stayed at home.

They were tearing each other's clothes off two minutes after they walked through the front door. It was afterwards, wrapped in crisp white sheets and each other's arms, the sea breeze blowing in through the open window, that Mario asked the question that had been playing on his mind for weeks. He hoped he could be honest with Noa, that she wouldn't take his question the wrong way. He kissed her cheek in the moonlight as he asked, "Does it scare you? Forever? It's a long time."

Noa rolled her eyes. "Duh, it's not is it?" She laughed, and when she did her dimples and the cute way her nose wrinkled made Mario fall in love with her all over again. Noa suddenly grew serious and thought only for a few seconds. "No, it doesn't. I'm scared of a lot of things, Mario. A crashing patient, being alone… Geese."

"Geese?"

Noa let out a laugh. "Yeah. I was bitten by one when I was 3, it was a whole thing. But no, forever with you is the last thing that scares me. How about you?"

Mario watched the waves through the window and ran his finger tips up and down Noa's arm soothingly. "It used to. The thought of marriage used to scare me senseless. But that was before I met you. I told you once you were the only person I'd loved. It's true, Noa. Until I met you, I couldn't imagine spending my life with another person."

"And now?"

"And now I can't imagine spending my life without you."

Noa rolled over so her face was hovering above Mario's and she lowered her face so her lips were only millimetres above his. "I love you, Mario Savetti" she whispered, so softly he barely heard her. He reached up to stroke her cheek.

"I love you too, Noa Kean."


End file.
